Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes there has been much interest in the field of nanorods and nanowires. Boron based nanotubes have been studied by many researchers, particularly boron carbides (BC) nanostructures. Boron carbide nanowires have been prepared by many researchers but with B:C molar ratios of about 4:1, which is the equilibrium compound in the B—C system (see Wei et al, J. Mater. Chem., 2002, 12, 3121-3124; and Zhang et al, J. Mat. Sci. Lett, 18 (1999), 349). Boron carbide nanorods that are boron rich, however, would be expected display different electronic properties that could be valuable in many different applications
U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,260 discloses carbon nanotubes that are reinforced with boron carbide nanolumps. B8C has been prepared by many researchers, but only in the form of films, discrete crystals, or powders (U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,962; Tsagareishvili et al, J. Solid State Chem., 177 (2004), 596).
Applicants have developed a process to prepare boron carbide nanorods with a molar ratio of 8:1 that are isolatable and that have potential uses in many fields.